Will Roo always be anxious?

Someone kindly reached out to us on instagram recently to let us know what a good job we are doing - which we greatly appreciated. They asked if we thought Roo would always be anxious, the answer yes and no.

Just like people, if you suffer with anxiety then it is something you will probably struggle with your whole life. That doesn't mean everyday will be crippling but you are aware that it will come in waves and can be trigger by things. It is the same for dogs.

With proper management and behaviour modificiation things can improve and to outsiders they might not ever know that your dog has anxiety. But you will always know that a few too many triggers in a day or a change in routine will most likely trigger their anxiety. That is where management comes in.

Will Roo always have anxiety? Yes. Will Roo always be anxious? Hopefully not.

Our hope for Roo is that she can get back to some sense of normal. Whether that means avoiding busy places, only doing long line walks in parks/woodlands/beaches or if that means that she can't really do those things but is able to relax and be happier at home.

We don't know what the future looks like for Roo, do we think she will be the kind of dog we walk into the city to grab a coffee on a sunday like we hoped. Probably not but we do hope that one day she will be able to cope with us having friends over, going for short walks and enjoying life.

Having a dog with anxiety is a life long commitment to helping them cope. You cannot go through the steps, make progress and throw your dog into any given situation expecting them to just cope.

Roo will most likely always need decompression days, lots of mental enrichment and a safe space that is hers where she can relax. Although really all dogs need this. Dog mental health matters and is important. Why not give your dog a day off from the outside world, give them a puzzle, a snuffle box, a chew and let them rest.